Inglourious Basterds

Inglourious Bastards is a 2009 action war film directed by Quentin Tarrantino set in Nazi-occupied France. The scene analyzed is in the projector room when Fredrick interrupts Shosanna.

The scene starts with a tracking hand held shot following Fredrick walking towards the projection room. This builds up tension and suggests to the audience that something important and significant is about to occur. Fredrick also appears in the centre of the screen which implies that he will be the catalyst for something to happen.

When Shosanna answers the door and talks to Fredrick, the two characters are divided by the doorway, which shows the conflict between them and the difference of opinions the two have. They use Medium-close ups on the two when they talk to easily show their emotions and they use over the shoulder shots to represent the suspicion of each other but also of the time as no one could be trusted.  They also use clean, sharp cuts to divide them and to again show how the two are different.

Lighting is something that is important in this clip. When Fredrick knocks on the door, Shosanna goes into the shadow. Fill light is used to shadow her which shows her bad intentions and foreshadows her actions. However when she talks to him in the doorway, she goes into the light whereas Fredrick is in the dark. This illustrates who is more morally right, and who the audience is rooting for. But once Fredrick is shot, the low key lighting causes Shosanna to go into the shadow, while wounded Fredrick lies across the light. This builds up suspense but also casts judgment on Shosanna and portrays Fredrick as innocent.  The changing lighting of the scene help to add to the narrative and the story. But also shows the conflicting feelings Shosanna as she attempts to do something good but uses morally wrong methods.

In the scene it cuts to the man behind the screen. He is back lit to show his importance to the film and the situation. Moreover he is the only thing visible in the shot, which just emphasizes his importance and suggests he will do something dramatic in the film. Also he lights a cigarette and starts to smoke it, suggesting he is nervous and how tense the situation is. This foreshadows that something is about to happen in the film.

Shots are also important to the scene. When Fredrick barges into the projector room, a low angle, long-medium shot to show his power over Shosanna and his superiority. He is also in the centre of the shot; to show is his dominance over the shot, and Shosanna. Moreover when both lay shot on the floor, the sequence cuts to a high angle of them both. They are looked down from above, showing how both are as bad as each other, and both have committed morally wrong actions. Also, it shows how both are insignificant in the wider war and are just another two people who have been damaged by the war.

As well as that the mise en scene of the scene is important to. Shosanna appears in red, which implies how dangerous she is but also represents the love and lust towards her that Fredrick feels.  Also Fredrick’s uniform suggests an internal conflict. The black collar and cuffs show his darker tendencies and reminds the audience and the immoral things he has done. But the white jacket shows how he wants to be good, and not hated and that he is ashamed of some of his actions.

Once Shosanna is shot, the scene goes into slow motion. This helps to emphasize the significance of her death and the dramatic and violent way she died.  This is supported by the shallow focus which makes her the focus point of the shot. Furthermore the sympathetic music helps to highlight the tragedy of the scene and her death.

Without these key parts the scene wouldn’t be as dramatic or memorable.